28 Days: My Experience With The Feel It, See It, Share It New Year Challenge

I did the FEEL IT, SEE IT, SHARE IT NEW YEAR CHALLENGE.

 

I’m not going to lie – I didn’t know what to expect or what I would get out of it. That uncertainty coupled with all of the holiday party temptations and a dry December (which is pretty much the most difficult time to not drink alcohol) made me a bit uneasy going into the month. But, now that it is over I am SO glad I did it. (And just a little note – you can certainly drink alcohol in moderation on this plan – my plan to “detox” and stick to just water for the month was totally a personal choice ;).

 

I have a whole new-found appreciation for clean eating and interval training. All the recipes in the challenge use totally natural ingredients and I learned more about nutrition than I knew before, including a new obsession with Ezekiel bread and other ingredients I have now added to my kitchen. I cooked a ton, which normally is not my favorite thing to do. But I started to really enjoy it. The recipes are fast and easy to follow. I also really enjoyed the workouts because they’re quick and effective. They combine principles from cardio, barre/Pilates, and even yoga (the “AR-style” yoga is so unique and energizing). Although the workouts were challenging at times, I was able to modify moves or rounds. And whenever I felt a little more pep in my step, I would amp it up and run faster or take the workout series one to two more rounds.

 

I started the challenge the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend. After the first week, I definitely started feeling better and more energized (and even had a few friends mention that my skin was “glowing”). About halfway through the challenge, I lost 9 pounds and 3 inches. Now that I have completed the program, I’m happy to share that I lost 11 pounds and 5 inches. Towards the end, I essentially leveled out on the scale but kept “shrinking” due to the effective meal plans and tightening/toning from the workouts.

 

Now that the challenge is over, I want to go back and revisit the principles I learned and bring them into 2018. I’m living proof that this isn’t a “quick fix” – you learn healthy ways to eat and exercise that are totally achievable and work for your lifestyle and needs. I’m also used to taking 45-60 minute classes and didn’t realize what an incredible, challenging workout I can get in just 5-10 minutes (and WAY more effective than running on a…

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